The reported presence of several mockups has revealed that Apple could be planning to release an iMessage client for Android devices.
Apple finds itself in an interesting arena in 2016; one wherein its product sales are beginning to slow, but its service industry – which contains platforms such as Apple Music and iCloud – is booming. Now the company could be planning a new cross-platform upgrade for iMessage, as several mockups have been reportedly designed to test the look and feel of the service on Android.
Granted, this wouldn’t be the first time Apple has expanded one of its core services to Android; the giant launched a port of its Apple Music platform to Android last year, wherein the initial release client was notoriously buggy.
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According to famed UI designer John Gruber on his site Daring Fireball, Apple has begun experimenting with the look and feel of iMessage on Android; the app allegedly mirrors Apple Music, wherein Apple used Android fonts and Google’s Material Design.
According to Gruber, the mockup series depicts varying styles from the app; some range close to its original iOS incantation, while others skew closer to Material Design.
Up until now, Apple has kept a tight reign on iMessage; touting the service as a key reason to buy an iPhone, iPad, or even a Mac. While at first glance taking the service to Android might do more harm than good, it could potentially open another door for Apple in terms of revenue from its expanding iMessage app store; the iOS version of which now sells stickers and other third-party applications.
Further, potential remains for Apple to offer sponsored ads in an Android version of iMessage. Whether the company will actually move to take the service cross-platform is, however, anyone’s guess.
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What are your thoughts? Would you use iMessage on Android? Be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Follow Bryan Smith on Twitter: @bryansmithSA
